THE GANGES RIVER NATIONAL RIVER IN INDIA PRESENTED BY Praveen mishra

The Ganges The Ganges or Ganga, is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The 2,525 km (1,569 mi) river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. By discharge it ranks among the world's top 20 rivers. The Ganges basin is the most heavily populated river basin in the world, with over 400 million people and a population density of about 1,000 inhabitants per square mile. INTRODUCTION

COURSE The Ganga originates in the Himalayas after the confluence of six rivers. The streams are fed by the melting snow and ice from the glaciers. It emerges from the Himalayas at the pilgrimage town of Haridwar.

THE GANGA WHICH TILL THIS POINT FLOWS IN A SOUTH WESTERN DIRECTION NOW BEGINS TO FLOW IN A SOUTH EASTERN DIRECTION. IT IS JOINED BY RIVER YAMUNA AT A POINT CALLED SANGAM A SCARED PLACE IN HIDUSIM.

It flows through the plains and enters Bangladesh. It fans out into the 350km wide Ganges Delta. It empties into the Bay of Bengal.

HISTORY Megasthanese was the first Westerner to mention Ganges in his work Indika. Jawarharlal Nehru in his book ‘ Discovery of India’ says.. The story of the Ganges from her source to the sea is the story of India’s civilization and culture, of the rise and fall of empires,of great and proud cities, of adventures of man…..

The Ganga is mentioned in the Rig- Veda, the earliest Hindu scriptures Ancient scriptures mention that The Ganges carries the blessings of Lord Vishnu’s feet and hence the name ‘Vishnupadi’ meaning ‘Emanating from the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord Vishnu’.

The Ganga is worshipped by the Hindus and personified as a Goddess.

Hindu belief holds that bathing in the River causes forgiveness of sins and helps attain salvation.

Drinking the water of The Ganges is believed to purify the soul.

Scientists and religious leaders have speculated on the causes of the river's apparent self-purification effect, in which water-borne bacteria such as dysentery and cholera are killed off, thus preventing large-scale epidemics. Some studies have reported that the river retains more oxygen than is typical for comparable rivers; this could be a factor leading to fewer disease agents being present in the water.

ECONOMY The Ganges basin with its fertile soil is instrumental to the agricultural economy of India. The Ganges with its tributaries provides a perennial source of irrigation for crops.

IRRIGATION FACILITIES HARIDWAR DAM-DIVERT MUCH HIMALAYA SNOWMELT IN TO UPPER GANGA CANAL BUILT BY BRITISH IN 1854 TO IRRIGATE THE SURROUNDING LAND.

ELECTRICITY FACILITIES HYDROELECTRIC DAM

TEHRI DAM  THE MOST CONROVERSIAL TEHRI DAM OF TEHRI HYDROPROJECT ON RIVER BHAGIRATHI.IT IS MULTI PURPOSE RIVER VALLY PROJECT.  8 TH TALLEST DAM IN THE WORLD  POWER GENRATION CAPCITY-2400 MW  IRRIGATION-6000 KM  DRINKING WATER  SPENT 8298 CR

TOURISM The three towns holy to Hinduism – Haridwar, Varanasi and Allahabad attract thousands of pilgrims to its waters.

MANY NATIONAL PARK IS SITUATED IN GANGA BASIN, LIVE IN ANIMAL.

SUNDERBANS DELTA SUNDERBAN WORLD LARGEST DELTA, FAST DISAPPEARING IN TO SEA.  SQ KM  HOME ROYAL BENGAL TIGER

The rapids of the Ganges are popular river rafting area, attracting hundreds of adventure seekers in the summer months.

ECOLOGY The Ganges collects large amounts of human pollutants as it flows through highly populous areas, carrying high health risk of infection. The Ganga Action Plan has been set up under the Indian government and is attempting to build waste treatment facilities.

The Environmental Problems The Ganges was ranked among the top five most polluted rivers of the world in 2007, with fecal coliform levels in the river near Varanasi more than hundred times the official Indian government limits. Pollution threatens not only humans, but also more than 140 fish species, 90 amphibian species and the endangered Ganges river dolphin.It is filled with chemical wastes, sewage and even human and animal remains which carry major health risks by either direct bathing in the dirty water, or by drinking.

The condition of the Ganges PAST PRESENT

Ganga Action Plan (GAP) The Ganga Action Plan or GAP was a program launched by Rajiv Gandhi in April 1985 in order to reduce the pollution load on the river. The program was launched with much fanfare, but it failed to decrease the pollution level in the river, after spending crore (approx.1010) rupees over a period of 15 years. The activities of GAP phase I initiated in 1985 were declared closed on 31 March The steering Committee of the national river conservation Authority reviewed the progress of the GAP and necessary correction on the basis of lessons learned and experiences gained from the GAP phase; 2.00 schemes have been completed under this plan. A million liters of sewage is targeted to be intercepted, diverted and treated. The Phase-II of the program was approved in stages from 1993 onwards, and included the following tributaries of Ganga: Yamuna, Gomti, Damodar and Mahananda. As of 2011, it is currently under implementation.

SWAMI NIGAMANAND SARIFICE TO SAVE THE GANGA. UMA BHARATI FORMER C.M.(M.P)